ALEX McLeish has insisted that Blues’ season could easily take a turn for the better.

Blues have a solitary win and have lost to Albion and Everton in two of their last three outings.

At the corresponding stage a year ago they had been defeated four times and were also on seven points.

“A couple of weeks back it was all doom and gloom at West Ham, they’ve had a couple of results and now they’re in a much happier state of mind,” said the Blues boss.

“In this league, things can change quickly and a lot is down to confidence.

“We intend to iron out one or two things I have seen in our play and while, let’s be honest, there were a few off the pace against Everton, we didn’t look like losing a goal before the own goal, which should have been avoided.

“The best chance of the first half fell to Cameron Jerome when he went through and I think one of our players will have to get hit with a baseball bat for us to get a penalty.

“We’re just struggling a little for the right combinations at the moment and we’re looking for players to settle. We’re without Gardner, Beausejour and, of course, McFadden, just when he was coming into his own.

“However, we are lacking that killer instinct in front of goal.

“We have missed chances, and we’ve also not quite had the rub of the green either, and hopefully that bit of luck will go our way.”

In the modern game, seizing control of midfield is all-important. That is why so many Premier League teams put a premium on bodies in there.

In each of the last two weekends, 15 top-flight teams did not deploy the classic 4-4-2, as some Blues fans have demanded from McLeish.

“One thing about 4-4-2 is that when we have played it, nothing sticks up front,” he said.

“So then you are vulnerable further back the pitch.

“You have to ask one of your strikers to work back.

“Against Everton, it was down to Jerome or Hleb to work back on to Arteta when we didn’t have the ball.

“Not necessarily to get goal side but to get into his area to make it harder for them.

“It’s not a negative tactic at all, and you saw Cahill doing the same thing for them, working back on to Ferguson.”

Holding the ball up front, so players have more opportunity to advance and join the attack, has been difficult for Blues.

McLeish added: “It’s massive, that’s why in the summer we went for Zamora and players of his ilk.

“We used McFadden up there against Liverpool, I really felt this was going to be his season.

“He was tremendous in that role and then, unfortunately, he got injured.

“We are not that far away and these players, I would back them to respond to any situation.”